Labour Says It Can’t Commit to Reversing U.K. Defense Cuts

By Kitty Donaldson -
Nov 20, 2012

The U.K.’s opposition Labour Party
said it can’t commit to reversing Prime Minister David Cameron’s
defense-spending cuts, as it put aircraft carriers, unmanned
drones and fighter planes at the heart of its strategy for 2015.

Jim Murphy, the party’s defense spokesman, will use a
speech today to call for British workers to be at the center of
procurement planning as he starts to flesh out Labour’s position
for the general election in 2 1/2 years. The opposition party is
leading Cameron’s Conservatives in opinion polls.

“Labour cannot make commitments now to reversing any cuts
in defense spending,” Murphy will say in the speech to the
Reform research institute in London, according to extracts
released in advance by his office. “Not knowing the state of
the books in 2015 means we cannot guarantee which, if indeed
any, of the current government cuts we could reverse, other than
through switching existing spending or freeing up resources
through reform.”

Murphy will say that some cuts in equipment programs can’t
be reversed, such as the cancellation of an order for BAE
Systems Plc’s Nimrod reconnaissance aircraft. He will also say
he agrees with some government moves such as overhauling
defense-ministry structures and selling assets. The Labour
spokesman will attempt to focus on the U.K.’s needs in the
reviews of military capability that will follow the next
election due in May 2015.

“Carrier strike and improved ISTAR are vital,” Murphy
will say, referring to the military equipment that links
battlefield functions. “Two state-of-the-art fighter fleets,
advanced unmanned vehicles supporting all three services and
strategic airlift are also key components.”

Cameron’s administration has said it will buy equipment
off-the-shelf to lower costs, even when that means not buying
from British suppliers. Murphy will say that a future Labour
government will insist that if the defense ministry buys ready-
made equipment in future, there will be a requirement that it
must be capable of being upgraded by U.K. workers, to protect
skills.